Sunday, December 22, 2013

Anchored

From a Mother's Heart to Her Daughters...

Hey girls, we are closing out another year. It's a year I would freely give back, to live differently in so many ways. And now I am looking ahead as I always do, searching for a spiritual focus for the new year ahead of us. A focus that will make me a better mother for you, a better wife for Joe, and a better maidservant for God. I think I have found that focus within two words this year...

Enough & Anchored

Our days of 2013 and the word Enough have produced for me the word Anchored for 2014. Enough comes from walking through these days in 2013. Anchored is the action to turn 2013's enough into a healthy Enough in 2014. Hang with me here...let me explain....

Enough

I don't want my enough from 2103 to mean "I have had enough"...God knows I feel that way in work, in our home, and with our losses this year. I'm sure you do too. This enough has caused me to lose my spiritual footing in each of these areas. No, I want enough to represent a different type of Enough.

Enough

Like Phillip said to Jesus, this too is where my heart and my mind have settled...

“Lord,” said Philip, “show us the Father, and that’s enough for us.” (HCSB)

I need for God to be enough. We need for God to be enough.

It requires an attitude shift. It has to be a longing of the heart and of the mind combined. 2013 was not a year to keep for the most part. I would like to erase parts of it completely but instead, it has pointed my heart and mind to my need for more of God in my life, more reliance on Him, more dependence on Him, more resting in Him...

As a family we need to make God our enough, grasping to His truth more and embracing His peace that surpasses all understanding.

Enough. More of God, less of me. More of God, less of you. How? Here is where the birth of my word, our word for 2014 comes into play....the action of our enough:

Anchored

God the anchor of our 2014. The assurance of His presence in our life. The steadfast embrace of His leading. Anchoring us to what matters most. Keeping us on course for His eternal plan with our lives. Praying more. Savoring His Word and applying it to our living. Being Jesus to others.

This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. ~ Hebrews 6:19

2013 threw some pretty tough storms our way. Some days I fell into the arms of God, other days I withdrew into my own emotions of the pain and my feet failed to take me where my Comforter was waiting. My faith weakened in my pain when it should have grown stronger in His grace. Instead of calling upon God's name in our losses, I allowed the waves of grief to flood over me and I missed His rest. I did not mirror to you a life that trusted in God's timing and accepted His plans. Forgive me girls. Forgive me Abba.I need more of God in 2014. We need more of God in 2014. So I pray these words from the song below and I pray it also becomes the prayer of your heart.

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders Let me walk upon the waters Wherever You would call me Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander And my faith will be made stronger In the presence of my Savior

I will call upon Your name Keep my eyes above the waves My soul will rest in Your embrace I am Yours, and You are mine

Philippians 3:10-11, Amplified

For my determined purpose is that I may know Him that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly, and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection which it exerts over believers, and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed in spirit into His likeness even to His death, in the hope that if possible I may attain to the spiritual and moral resurrection that lifts me out from among the dead even while in the body.

My Better Half....

He still takes my breath away!

My Spiritual Goal's thoughout the years...

2015 I am unsettled. I want God more...Revive deep spirituality in my heart; let me live near to the Great Shepherd, hear his voice, know its tones, follow its calls. "Lord, I cry out to you. I say, “You are my protection. You are all I want in this life.” ~ Ps. 142: 52014 Enough & Anchored: God is enough (focus) & I will be anchored in Him (action)."Lord," said Phillip, "Show us the Father, and that's ENOUGH for us." ~John 14:8 (HCSB). "[God's] hope is real & true, an ANCHOR to steady our restless souls, a hope that leads us back...to where God is..." ~ Heb 16:9 (The Voice)

2013: Diakono's Living-Loving Out Loud (LOL): having the heart to do something radical for God.Don’t neglect to do what is good and to share, for God is pleased with such sacrifices. ~ Hebrews 13:16 (HCSB)2012: Living Out Loud (LOL): Losing control for what God wants me to do!! ~ Isaiah 58: 10-12 (Message)

2011 Goal: A Godly Woman's Journey: having a fuller understanding and expression of the love of God. ~ 2 Thes 3:5

2010 Goal: To grow my trust (faithfulness) in Him and to Praise (thankfulness) Him more!~Ps 63:1-8

2009 Goal: increase my prayer life ~ Col 4:2-6

2008 Goal: heart, mind, & action of a servant~ Isa 61:1-3

2007 Goal: Freedom from my past ~Ps 40:1-3

Siesta Scripture Memory Team 2011

In 2009 I started memorizing scripture with Beth Moore's Siesta Scripture Memory Team. It started a journey in my life that I now cherish. I didn't think my "older" brain could memorize scripture but it has and it has literally been my "life-line" in some of the most troubling times over these past few years. I encourage you to join us in this new year. Here are my chosen scripture throughout the years:

2015 Memory Verses: Ps 142: 5 (NCV);

Verse for the year 2014: “Lord,” said Philip, “show us the Father, and that’s enough for us.” ~ John 14:8 (HCSB)

One of my favorites...

To get your copy, click on the book and PLEASE remember to pray for Elaine as she journeys with breast cancer.

I am not a writer...I am a women of grace, who through life circumstances has learn what it means to live in and through Christ. I wouldn't change a thing in my life because of where it has brought me spiritually with my Lord (Psalms 40:1-3). I have a godly husband and a blended family with six girls!! I am blessed!! I am also nurse, an educator, and have served in youth and women's ministry. I started this blog years ago when I was active in women's ministry but life got difficult, and the pain and losses pulled me out of ministry. Though my heart longs to be back there, I have recently changed my focus here to be more of a legacy for our girls. As I grow more in love with Jesus every day, I pray and hope that I pass that on to them. If you have stumbled onto this blog, I pray that in my being open and transparent, you too see Christ in my living and are encouraged. As I study His word deeper, I strive to become more like Jesus. Therefore, my prayer for this blog comes from Isaiah 50:4 "Sovereign Lord, give me your words of wisdom, so that I will know how to comfort the weary and those who need to know Your grace. Morning by morning awaken me and open my understanding to Your will. Guide me to share it here".